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A special introduction to the world of Havana painter…

Nicolás Erustes Delgado 

  

CUBAN INTUITION

By Jerry Billstrom 

Flamboyant yet philosophical and practical artist, illustrator, photographer and philosopher, Nicolás Delgado, is well abided by the art community in Havana and around the world.  For art lovers and those familiar with intuitive painting, the maestro Delgado, now 75 years old, has gifted to those who have had the good fortune to view or own a painting or photograph made by him (and there are many from this prolific artist) a glimpse into another universe.  

One of space machines, monsters, freaks, religion, sickness and a myriad of emotions and symbols.  Tainos, cannibal Caribs and even Aztecs; time machines, spacemen and weird animals are splashed across his paper, cardstock and canvass creations. 

Born in Villa Clara in 1936, as a child Delgado was friends with the famous Cuban painter, Victor Manuel.  This later influenced his decision to change professions.  Nicolás began to paint in his fifties.  Earlier, as a photographer Nicolás Delgado took the first pictures of then guerilla fighter Ché Guevara when the famed Argentine-Cuban physician and guerilla fighter arrived in Havana.

Havana, Cuba provides the inspiration for his prolific inspired paintings.  Beautiful and lively yet rich in history, the capital is also rich in tradition and fusions of religions and spiritualism.

Cuba, a developing country, is an Island peninsula, eighty kilometers south of Florida.  It is the largest and richest Island of the Greater Antilles.  Colonial architecture, now in the midst of restoration is a unique mix of Spanish, French, English, Italian and North American influences from the past four hundred years.  Horse drawn carriages and bicycle taxis share the streets with antique American cars and modern European vehicles.   The sounds of ancient African drum beats often fill the balmy sub-tropical night air.  From his location in Old Havana, Nicolás Delgado is in the midst of one of the most favorable artistic environments.  In the 1950’s, Ernest Hemingway worked only two blocks from Delgado’s doorstep.

Nicolás made a living pre and post revolution as a professional photographer.  

Having changed mediums in his fifties, he has been and remains a dedicated intuitive artist for nearly twenty-five years.

The maestro often wakes from dreams to  capture and interpret the images on paper.

His larger canvass paintings are more thought-out, often more concerned with color and composition.  However the majority of his work is on smaller medium, on paper, in acrylic or oil.  The quality of the paper varies.

However the work itself is of phenomenon, fantasy, fear, and spirits and possibly…

 other dimensions…      

 as the artist melds the world of demons and angels… Santeria and Cuban spiritualism with…

… fantastic dreams.

Other favorites of Nicolás Delgado are spaceships, space monsters, astronauts, time portals and other dimensional monsters…

Now seventy-four years old, Nicolás continues to work without let-up, often running out of materials.   Some of his paintings are done on the backs of magazine covers, cereal boxes, film, and whatever he can find.

Awarded and exhibited in Cuba and around the world the artist’s prolific output has not abated.  

Since meeting Nicolás Delgado in 2007 this writer has looked at hundreds of his paintings and this question is still on my mind:  What is the significance of this outpouring of visions, thoughts and ideas?

Part of  the  problem is understanding the fast talking, idiom-filled Havana Spanish but even with a translation the wily Delgado often responds with questions himself: “What do you see?”  “What do you think?”  

“It’s a portal to another dimension,” he said.  

“You’re kidding me,” I said.  “No, really- look here,” he said, pointing at what looked like a kind of window…

This painting, on cheap paper, is now under non-reflective glass, neatly framed with thin black plastic, and hangs on the solarium wall at my mother’s place.  

Whenever I visit I always take the time to look at the portal- I always see something different- beautiful and dramatic…

Depictions of time machines, dimensional and time portals, unbelievable and dramatic visions of futuristic splendor are standard fare in Delgado paintings.  There is no surprise that Nicolás chose to depict these phenomena in paintings, as words would be ineffective…

Nicolas Delgado is featured in Gérald Mouial’s excellent book, 

“Magic Art in Cuba”.  The book provides a thorough interview of the painter, his views on painting, photography  and his philosophy.

“The caveman is 

a testimony to 

his time.” 

- Nicolás Delgado,

Magic Art in Cuba                                                    A prince with his monsters.

Nicolás, father of Cuban expressionist painter, Silvia Delgado, is also one of the most good natured people you will ever meet.  

The jovial grandfather prefers to speak in stories, ideas; jokes, irony and paroxysms.  As a painter he is a model of hard work and dedication.  

© Cuban Art Warehouse

For comments or permission to reprint, copy, or use this article please e-mail:  attention: Nicholas Delgado C/O   cubanartwarehouse@gmail.com

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About the ARTIST:

Curriculum

Ana Laura Tamburini

Completed Studies:

2000-  Graduated Manuel Belgrano School of Fine Arts, Bs. As.  Argentina.

2007- Graduated San Alejandro School of Fine Arts, Havana, Cuba.

2009- Two years study at The Superior Institute of Art, Havana, Cuba.

Courses:

2001-2003

Experimental workshop graphic studies in lithography, Havana, Cuba.

Course Work:

2000-  First Caruhe 2000 Art Camp, Buenas Aires, Argentina.

2001- Foundation of new Latin American Cinema, Havana, Cuba.

2005- Medical consultant, Havana, Cuba.

Personal Exhibitions:

2007-  Literal Circles and Squares on a Triangle,  Jose Antonio Diaz Pelaez 

Gallery, San Alejandro Academy, Havana, Cuba.

2003- Exiles, Gallery of Popular Power, Havana Vieja

Collective Exhibitions:

2009-  Cambio y Fuera, Superior Institute of Art,  framed works, 10th Biennial, Havana, Cuba. 

2009-  Health, Art and Society.  Performance and audiovisual events. 10th Biennial, Havana.

2008-  Pathways, This other World, exhibition Hundredth Anniversary Celebration of the works of Richard Wright, Fayad Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

2008-  History by Ramon, Roberto Branly Gallery,  Havana, Cuba

2008-  One Winter Night a Traveller,  Superior Art Institue, Boyeros 

Art Center, Havana.

2006-  Ten of One Hundred and Thirty One,  MAKINAH Group, 

San Francisco de Asis Convent, Havana.

2006-  Exit, Casa de Galia Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

2006-  May Salon, Provincial Academy of Plastic Arts, Havana, Cuba.

2006-  Future, multiple footprints,  MAKINAH Group,   San

Francisco de Asis Convent, Havana.

2005- It's the Same but not Equal, MAKINAH Group, Jose Antonio

Diaz Palaez, San Alejandro Academy, Havana, Cuba.

2005-  Words of a Woman, Model of Havana, Mirimar, Havana, Cuba.

2004-  For the Hand of a Model,  MAKINAH, Group,  Casa de la

Cultura de Quvican, Havana, Cuba.

2004-  Thirteenth of March competition, L Gallery, Havana.

2004-  Payad Jamais, Small Format Salon.  I Gallery, Havana

2003-  Descartes, Fama Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

2003-  8th of March Exposition Group, Jose lezama lima, Havana.

2003-  Payad Jamis Small Format Salon, I Gallery, Havana, Cuba.

2002-  Contempary Graphics, L Gallery, Hvana Cuba.

2002-  The Inflamation, Cuban Pharmacologial Society, Latin

American School of Medicine (ELAM), Havana, Cuba.